Haven Fallen - Tabletop Roleplay Game

Haven Fallen

Tabletop Roleplay Game

Colour PDF Format

203 Pages

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Haven Fallen - Core Rulebook - Original Frontiers | SCI FI | DriveThruRPG.com

INTRODUCTION

The elusive Haven – the fabled centre of the Universe – is said to be a world of everlasting life. For all the Solar Empires our Galaxy has given rise to, none can claim dominion over such a Planet. There are those who believe fragments of it’s potency exist in the relics which provide the ability to traverse great distances. Some say that Haven is not a physical mass, but a temporal conduit via which the Universe receives it’s connection to Magic. To some, Haven is simply a place we hold sacred inside of ourselves.

 Whether Haven is merely a concept or indeed the celestial cradle of all sentient life, the major players on the Galactic stage seek to control  it’s essence and therefore the Universal narrative. Trillions of credits in resources and personnel have been dedicated to the continuing pursuit of locating and securing Haven. Many have claimed success in this endeavour, but none have ever demonstrated irrefutable proof. Magic, science, and technology have provided the means to prolong and in some cases even replicate life, but this has all been shown to be finite in the end.

 The year is now 3066 and the sentient Species of the Known Universe vie for dominance using every tool at their disposal. Mega corporations, Colleges of Magic, a vast criminal Underworld, as well as governmental and private militaries, all take to the stars each day in the search for power, glory and ultimately, Haven.

THE SETTING

The Known Universe in 3066 is an assortment of wonders and miseries. Those who pursue conflict shall soon find it, yet there are places for the peaceful to converge together.

 The tales of Haven are prevalent across the stars. Pursuit of Haven takes many forms and leads many to follow paths they may otherwise have forsaken. Most governing Assemblages would seek to keep their citizenry from Haven’s fruits, for the quest for Haven is synonymous with the quest for freedom.

 In addition to the Corporeal Known Universe there exists a Spirit Realm – interconnected Planes of existence which are navigated by the Supernal Spirits. Encounters with these beings are rare, but not unheard of.

 Governments, corporations, and scientists all seek to shape Galactic existence, while networks of outlaws and agitators watch and wait for opportunities to exploit.

 Many things have changed in 1000 years; many things remain the same.

GAMEPLAY

The outcome of Actions in Haven Fallen are determined firstly by the Storyteller assigning a Difficulty Rating to the endeavour, then the Character attempting to equal or exceed the Difficulty Rating using a d20, and any modifiers available to them.

THE DIFFICULTY RATING

The Storyteller takes many factors into account when assigning a Difficulty Rating. The complexity of the Action itself is firstly considered, then the amount of pressure dictated by the circumstances, and also any extenuating conditions. The Storyteller has the overall say when assigning the Difficulty Rating, but may be open to hearing viewpoints when deliberating prior to the Difficulty Rating being assigned. Once the Storyteller has confirmed the actual number for the Difficulty Rating, this is the final decided Difficulty Rating for that Action. Gauging the situation rapidly will come with practice.

ROLLING FOR ACTIONS

When the Storyteller calls for an Action Roll, the Storyteller will assign a Difficulty Rating to this Action. The difficulty should take into account the circumstances, surroundings and the purpose of the intended Action. The Players, via acting with role-play or by giving a narrative description of what their Character is doing, will have the chance to take Actions as the story unfolds. The Storyteller will decide whether a description or role-play is sufficient for the Action to succeed, or if a dice roll is required from the Player.

 The d20 is rolled by the Character attempting to take the Action, or the Storyteller if the Action is being attempted by an NPC. In order to Pass, the Difficulty Rating must be equalled or exceeded by result of the Roll. An additional d20 may be rolled if the Storyteller chooses, called the Bonus Die. When this takes place the highest result is used for the roll. This is to represent an advantageous circumstance for the Character or NPC making the roll. 

Some Specialities call for use of the Bonus Die.

 An appropriate Skill Rating from the Character Sheet may be used to positively modify the result of the Action Roll. Some Specialities also provide a bonus modifier, or even a re-roll of one or more dice.

THE KNOWN UNIVERSE

The Milky Way is home to many Species – some are key Galactic players and some are yet to be discovered. Some have willingly turned their backs on inter-planetary exploration. The Diaru and the Formari are the oldest known Species. The Diaru can live for centuries but number far fewer than the Formari. Both Species keep each other's power balanced throughout the Galaxy by maintaining a war of attrition through mutual enmity.

 The Parnun are a stocky, hardy people who have been harnessing the resources the Known Universe has to offer while others engage in conflict. The humble Tenarnun and the noble Bhedun both claim to provide balance through harmony. Both also claim to be the originators of Magic in the Known Universe. The Salvus are self-aware Formari replicants. Their AI and sensory receptors are without equal and they have fought for millennia to be recognised among the Sentient Species.

 There are an innumerable amount of Factions at play within the Known Universe. Some Factions are formed based upon the bonds of kinship within the same Species, but most Factions are not limited by this. All Factions are known as Assemblages and may range from single Planets governed by one overall ruler, or may be vast Solar Empires comprised of hundreds of Planets. Worlds without a unified system of governance (or any governance) are known as Fractured Worlds. Many (or no) Assemblages may lay claim to Fractured Planets.

THE FOUR SECTORS

The Galaxy is broken down into Four Sectors – Wahid, Aithnayn, Thalatha, and Arbea. Though all of the prominent Species of the Known have made contact with each other, some Sectors are more remote and sparsely populated than others.

 The centre of the Galaxy – known as the Core – is the focal point of space travel and distance to the Core is always taken into account when journeying between Sectors using the Haven Nexus. The Core is Neutral Space.

 Each Sector is around 50k² Lightyears. There are around 25-30 billion Planets in each Sector.

 While each Assemblage controls a certain region or territory (and some may claim fealty from hundreds of Planets), no Assemblage can claim full dominion of any entire Sector.  There is immense potential for the possibility of undiscovered life forms on previously uncharted Worlds

SPACEFLIGHT

Though advances in conventional spaceflight have enabled the production of propulsion engines capable of reaching up to 15k miles per second (one eighth the speed of light), the most efficient method for Spaceflight is the Haven Nexus.

 The Haven Nexus is a network of Haven Beacons scattered throughout the Four Sectors of the Galaxy. So far there are six known Haven Beacons, including the central Beacon at the centre of the Known. Beacons are navigated via a ship’s Haven Nucleus. Once the Haven Nucleus is engaged the ship is “pulled” through time to the Core Beacon, and then instantaneously navigated to another Beacon in one of the Four Sectors.

 Hyper Spaceways (HS) have been manufactured to connect various parts of Space together, however these are fraught with piracy and other dangers such as structural instability. If the journey goes off without a hitch however, HS enable travel at speeds nearly half the speed of light.

PROMINENT SPECIES

There are seven prominent Species of the Known. The Formari are the most populous, they include the Formarian Star League and the humans of Earth and Mars. The Diaru as a Species are at least as old as the Formari. Though they are not as widespread or numerous they have tremendously long lifespans. The Parnun are stocky and strong people who have spent many generations mastering engineering and mining. The Tenarnun spent most of their documented history reflecting inwardly prior to taking to the stars to share their spiritual code. The Bhedun are reserved, yet renowned for their fearsome sense of honour. So few have encountered the Yarathun that many doubt their existence. Those who have encountered the Yarathun know this to be unwise. The Salvus are a sentient Artificial Intelligence, only recently recognised as a Species in their own right. The vampiric Gifted are not made up of one Species alone, but are unique in their ways.